The profound alienation I often feel has raised its faceless head again. It always comes on suddenly. This time the trigger was another couple our age, retired of course, who moved to Taos a few years ago and love the concerts, readings, and gallery openings… Just wait, I think. I never came for those, although we used to go to most. Now we don’t do anything but buy groceries and hike. Well aware of the great co-opted culture myth, a friend of mine once told me, “You know, John, all we really have here are the mountains.” He knew.
Why Am I Here?
Elm leaf shadows on a misty window
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I get it. I have Oregon mountains that I love. A lot of us van dwellers go south in the winter but I am loath to leave my mountains. I have a spring where I fill my water jugs with raw water and one to soak in. I think I am home maybe like an old indigenous woman who knows she has moved camp for the last time.
I’d like to be “home” like that, but first we do have to move at least one more time. I was just looking at Montana DOT webcams, BTW. Holy God.
I came from mountains, grew up with mountains and didn’t come for the mountains although I don’t know how anyone can tell directions on a cloudy day without mountains. I came and stay for the lack of social classes. I could be a low income artist and hang out with the homeless and the rich and famous and nobody seemed to know the difference. I don’t know that this is still true because we don’t go out that much anymore.
I know what you mean about the (relative) lack of social classes. That’s how I felt at first. I think it’s changed, though.
I love that photo
‘Tis pleasing, is it not?
I’ve only lived here six months, but I can definitely see there are social classes in Taos. The thing is, we’re not required to buy into them. One of those classes is “everybody else.”
Welcome! What you say is true. We’ve been here almost 20 years. I’m finally ready to commit or run the hell away, and every year has felt like that.